Film trimming machine



July 1, 1952 w. vEsToRsKY FILM TRIMMING MACHINE Filed May 26, 1949 July l, 1952 w. VESTORSKY FILM TRIMMING MACHINE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed May 26, 1949 wuwwto'v WILLIAM 'VESTORSKY Patented July l, 1952v FILM TRDWMING MACHINE William Vestorsky, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor to Deltec, Inc., Youngstown, Ohio, a corpora.-

tion of Ohio Application May 26, 1949, Serial No. 95,434

5 Claims. (Cl. 164-47) This invention relates to apparatus for trim- I ming pieces of X-ray lm and the like and more particularly to apparatus for clipping olf the corners of such pieces to round the Same for facilitating the handling and ling of such pieces.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a unitary assembly for performing the stated operation on pieces of X-ray film and the like which is extremely rugged and simple in design and which is capable of long periods of service without attention or maintenance. This general object of the invention is accomplished by incorporating with a iat plate adapted to receive the X-ray film in flat overlying relation, an improved and simplified shearing die set which is z' operable upon actuation to sever the corner portion of the lm along a curved line.

A further and more specic object of the invention is the provision in apparatus of the character mentioned above of an improved actu- ,L

ating devicel for the shearing die and of an improved arrangement for controlling the energization of the actuating device whereby the assembly is entirely automatic in operation, being operable to automatically sever a corner of a flat film piece immediately upon proper positioning of the Figures 1 and 2 are plan and side views, Ie-

spectively, of an improved nlm trimmer constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the device of Figures l and 2 with the removed; o

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through the apparatus; Y

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line V-V of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a schematic wiringrdiagram of the controlled energizing circuit used in the apparatus.

I provide a shell type of casing I0 which is preferably of cast construction andwhich is provided with an integral heavy diagonal strut IIA and a corner recess I2 outwardly of the strut II. The top and bottom surfaces of the casingl I0 are flat and parallel and rigidly secured to the top surface thereof is a fiat. sheet metal plate` I;3

top plate, dies and other parts which is preferably provided with a polished top surface and with a length and Width greater than the dimensions of the casing I0 so that it overhangs one end and one side of the casing as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4.

One corner of the plate I3 is cut away along a circular path as at I4 to receive a circular disclike die member I5 which is preferably fabricated of tool steel and provided also with a polished top surface as will be understood. The die member I5 may be slightly thinner than the plate I3 so that the top surface thereof lies in a plane which is below the top plane of the plate I3 so that a corner of a film piece may be readily slid along the top surface of the plate I3 and across the disc-like die member I5.

Concentrically secured to the member I5 and depending therefrom is a round stud I6 slidably received in a bushing I 'I held in a bore formed in the strut I l.

I provide a fixed arcuately-shaped die member I8 having only its end portions rigidly secured to the casing Iii as by means of the cap screws I9'. The die member I8 is made of nat stockl as shown, but with thicker end portions as evident l upon comparison of Figures 4 and 5 and frominspection of Figure l so that the lower surface of the center portion of thedie member I8 is spaced upwardly a slight distance from theplane of the Since the Xed die member I8 is rigidly secured to the same casting in which the carrier post lli for the movable die member I5 is guided, the die set is extremely rugged and will maintain its alignment over long periods of service. Suitable dowels 20 are utilized to insure the rigidity ofthe xed die member I8 with respect to the casing IIJ in a manner well-known in the die making art. i

The lower surface of the die member I8 adjacent the cutting edge I3 is ground on a biases indicated by thelines 2 I` and 22 in Figures 4V and 5 to provide for shear in the die-set. `.In actual practice I prefer to begin the cutting at thecen-V ter of the arc andtoprogress thecutting in kboth Y directions to the ends thereof,-

For actuating the movable die member I5 I provide a forked lever 23 which is pivotally mounted at one end to a pintle block 2li received in a recess formed in the wall of the casing I0. The lower end of the post I6 is slotted to receive a center portion of the lever 23 and a pivot pin 24 is inserted to interconnect the lever 23 and the post I6. The forked end of thelever 23 is loosely connected to a plunger 25 of a solenoid 2S which is rigidly attached to the lower surface of the plate I3. It will be obvious upon inspection of Figure 4 that energization of the solenoid 26 will move the die member I5 upwardly past the cutting edges of the xed die member I8. Upon de-energization of the solenoid the weight of the plunger or armature thereof as well as the weight of the movable die member and of the lever 23 will return the parts to their initial starting positions as shown.

While I may control the energization of the solenoid 25 by means of a manually engageable switch I prefer to make the machine entirely automatic in operation by providing one or more switches which are operated upon positioning a piece of film to be out in proper position in the machine. Such switch or switches control the energization of the solenoid '26 from a line cord conductor 2'I and by way of example I may provide a small normally open snap acting switch 28 which is rigidly carried by a side wall of the casing I and a second similar switch 29 which is secured to and carried by the plate I3. Switch 23 is provided with an operatingr member 33 which is a bent piece oi wire extending upwardly through an elongated aperture formed in the plate I3 and a similar operator 3l is provided for the switch 29. Referring to Figures 1 and 4 it will be noted that I have provided iixed guides 32 and 33 along two of the edges of the plate I3 in general continuation of the thickened end portions of the fixed die member I8. At the points of junction between the member I8 and the guides 32 and 33 the inner edges of these parts are recessed so that the upwardly projecting ends of the operators 33- and 3| can be retracted within the guiding planes provided by the members 32 and 33. The switches and operators therefor are so adjusted that the latter are normally biased toward the center of the machine but upon a piece of lm being laid on the plate I3 and moved into the corner die I3 both of the switches will be closed as one edge of the lm piece approaches parallelism and contact with the guide 32 while another edge thereof approaches parallelism and contact with the guide 33. Therefore, upon the film piece being properly positioned in the machine the solenoid 26 will be automatically actuated and the corner of the lm piece cut oi.

As shown in Figures l and 2 the switch operators 30 and 3! are positioned quite close Vto the disc-like die member I and project above the common plane of the top surface of the plate I3 and die member I5 but a short distance which is noid being kept to a minimum, and of course the switch or switches employed are subjected to a minimum of wear and depreciation. By so limiting the upward projection of the operators 33 and 3I the upper ends of these Operators will be positioned well below the upper position reached by the vertically movable disc-like die member I5. c

I have also found that satisfactory results may be obtained by utilizing only one switch and operator-the switch 28 and operator 30, for eX- ample-since it is more natural for an operator when applying a lm piece to the machine to rst move it into register with the longer guide 32 and to then slide it to the left into Contact with the guide 33. This mode of operation results in equally centered cutting of the corner of the lm piece. To complete the assembly of the device I provide a bottom plate 34 which is attached to the casing Ill and to the under-surfact of which is cemented a felt or rubber pad 35. I may also provide a detachable sheet metal cover 36 for enclosing the space I2 in the corner of the casing to provide a compartment for receiving the clippings.

The above specifically described embodiment of the invention should be considered as illustrative only as obviously many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Reference should therefore be had to the appended claims in determining the scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. In apparatus for trimming the corners of pieces of sheet-like material the combination of a box-like base member having a heavy strut biasing one of its corners, Said strut having a vertically disposed bore therein, a flat top plate secured to said base, guide members secured to said top plate and extending along two adjacent sides thereof divergently of said strut, said top plate being cut away at its corner over said heavy strut, a shearing die set comprising a fixed die member secured rigidly to said base in spaced relation above said top plate and a movable die member normally recessed in the cut-away portion of said top plate, said xed die member having a lshearing edge below which an uncut work piece may project and said movable die member having a complementary shearing edge aligned vertically with the shearing edge of the xed die member and over which said uncut work piece may lie so that upon upward movement of said movable die member a corner portion of said work piece is cut off, a vertically disposed carrier post rigidly mounting said movable die member and positioned in and guided for vertical sliding movement by said bore in said strut, at least one of said diev members having a biased shearing edge, a solenoid positioned wholly within said box-like base secured to and depending downwardly from said top plate, lever means pivotally secured at one of its ends to said base and interconnecting the movable armature of said solenoid with the lower end portion of said post, a switch for controlling energy applied to said solenoid, and an operator for said switch extending above the top plane of said plate and positioned adjacent to one of said guide members and adapted to be engaged by an edge of a sheet to close said switch and energize said solenoid.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further including a curved plate detachably secured to said base at the corner thereof biased by said strut,

said plate being of such shape as to continue the general outline of the base, thus in cooperation with said strut forming a cavity in said base, said cavity being located below the bottom face of said fixed die member to receive and collect waste trimmings therefrom.

3. In apparatus for trimming the corners of film sheets a box-like base, a flat top plate secured to said base, said top plate having a cutaway corner portion, a rectilinear guide member extending along one side edge of said top plate from the cut-away corner thereof, a vertically movable die member normally positioned in the cut-away portion of the top plate and having a iiat upper surface normally positioned in the plane of the iiat upper surface of the top plate, a fixed die member rigidly secured to said base and positioned above the plane of the upper surface of the top plate, said fixed die member having a shearing edge below which an uncut work piece may project and said movable die member having a complementary shearing edge aligned vertically with the shearing edge of the fixed die member and over which said uncut work piece may lie so that upon upward movement of said movable die member a corner portion of said work piece is cut off, a carrier post rigidly mounting said movable die and depending downwardly therefrom into said base, means in said base for guiding said carrier post for vertical movement, electro-mechanical means positioned within said base and connected to said post for moving the same vertically, a switch for controlling the application of electrical energy to said electro-mechanical means, and an operator for said switch projecting above the plane of the upper surface of said top plate and positioned adjacent to said die member at an end edge of said top plate and adapted tobe engaged by the leading edge of a sheet being advanced longitudinally on said top plate and over said movable die to close said switch.

4. In apparatus for shearing off the corners of flat sheets a box-like base, a flat top plate secured to said base, said top plate having a cutaway corner portion, a rectilinear guide member secured to and extending longitudinally along one side edge of said top plate outwardly of said cut-away corner portion of said top plate, a vertically movable die member normally positioned in said cut-away portion of said top plate and having a fiat upper surface normally positioned in the plane of the upper surface of said top plate, a xed die member rigidly secured in relation to said top plate and spaced upwardly therefrom, said fixed die member having a shearing edge below which an uncut work piece may project and said movable die member having said movable die to move upwardly, a switch inl said base for controlling the application of electrical energy to said electro-mechanical means, and a longitudinally movable operator for closing said switch positioned at an end edge of Asaid plate and adjacent to said die member, said operator extending above the plane of the upper surface of said top platea distance less than the distance of upward travel of said movable diemember and adapted to be engaged by the leading edge of a sheet being slid longitudinally on said top plate, the arrangement being such that said movable die member when moved upwardly will carry said sheet above said operator whereby said operator is vreleased to immediately open said switch and deenergize said electro-mechanical means.

5. In apparatus for trimming sheet-like material having a base and a flat top plate secured to ing edge aligned vertically with the shearing edgel of the fixed die member and over which said uncut work piece may lie so that upon upward movement of said movable die member a corner portion of said work piece is cut ofi, electromechanical means associated with said movable die member operative in response to the application of electrical energy thereto to cause said movable die to move upwardly, a switch for coritrolling the application of electrical energy to said electro-mechanical meansand an operator for said switch adjacent to said movable die member and adapted to bek engaged by an edge of a sheet to close said switch, said operator extending above said top plate a distance less than the distance of upward travel of said movable 'die member, the arrangement being such that said movable die member when moved upwardly will carry said sheet above said operator whereby said operator is released to immediately open said switch and deenergize said electro-mechanical means.

WILLIAM VESTORSKY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 46,066 Bergner Jan. 31, 18-65 934,027 Sutherland ISept. 14, 1909 1,197,788 Bircher Sept. 12, 1916 1,767,763 Johnson June 24, 1930 2,163,868 Christie June 27, 1939 2,427,418 Rast Sept. 16, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 525,862 Germany May 29, 1931 

